Bruno Fernandes image 8

Bruno Fernandes Portugal flag

2021-22 Performances


View full 2021-22 profile

5.2 Season Average Rating
Appearances
46
Goals
10
Assists
13
Yellow cards
10
Status
Not open for further replies.

ivaldo

Mediocre Horse Whisperer, s'up wid chew?
Joined
Nov 15, 2012
Messages
28,699
I have to say I am not a fan of how he plays the game and hence the reason why he struggles in big games to assert himself.
I find his contribution below par when he is not bringing in the statistics.
He doesnt really do much of playmaking and generally plays as a forward. May be am wrong but I feel we would do better as a tram if we had an extra Pogba in midfield or KDB instead of Bruno. It had helped us control the game better.
He is a fantastic player in his own right but I am not the biggest fan of the way he plays the number 10 role.
We have a Pogba in midfield already, we won't need a second one.

He doesn't play as a forward. There has been more than enough heat maps floating around over the last few weeks to put this to bed. He's an attacking midfielder, and plays like one. He's wildly creative, and even when he isn't tearing the opposition a new one, like he did against Leeds, he's still capable of creating an opportunity from nothing, or scoring a screamer. He'd be an invaluable addition to any team.
 

Redlyn

Full Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2011
Messages
3,681
Nothing new. By now I've accepted that his general play will always be terrible so there is no point coming here every weeks and having a rational discussion about the football (and because our fans get extremely emotional and defensive as soon as his footballing credentials are questioned)

he had a real stinker and could easily have been the first player to be taken off but then scored a worldie so all the rubbish that came before it will be forgotten. It is how the modern football fans in general consume football so I made my peace with it
I am not able to get this part. Isn't it precisely because he can come up with a key moment so often that makes him NOT the first player to take off?
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Man for man I don’t think city have the better team anymore. They are the better collective though due to the manager so I guess you might still be right. Only team with a better 11 than us in the league is Liverpool.
City are easily best team in the league, they don't have better individuals they have Pep.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Nothing new. By now I've accepted that his general play will always be terrible so there is no point coming here every weeks and having a rational discussion about the football (and because our fans get extremely emotional and defensive as soon as his footballing credentials are questioned)

he had a real stinker and could easily have been the first player to be taken off but then scored a worldie so all the rubbish that came before it will be forgotten. It is how the modern football fans in general consume football so I made my peace with it
:lol:
 

Beachryan

More helpful with spreadsheets than Phurry
Joined
May 13, 2010
Messages
11,551
I was being facetious in asking what Bruno has done as that's as ridiculous as asking what Grealish has done. Though, yes, I don't think there's much between them as players. I stand by that.
If only they both played in the same competition, in a similar position, and there was some way of measuring success like goals, or assists.

Ah well, we'll never know I guess.
 

Brwned

Have you ever been in love before?
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
50,829
I really want to a replay of the Berbatovesque way he plucked a ball out of the air at almost head height, with the outside of his foot. Pure sex.
Seconded! It was so good it seemed like he surprised himself! He's a really unconventional #10 in a lot of ways, but he's got magic in his boots just like the best!

Nothing new. By now I've accepted that his general play will always be terrible so there is no point coming here every weeks and having a rational discussion about the football (and because our fans get extremely emotional and defensive as soon as his footballing credentials are questioned)

he had a real stinker and could easily have been the first player to be taken off but then scored a worldie so all the rubbish that came before it will be forgotten. It is how the modern football fans in general consume football so I made my peace with it
That's how it's always been. That's how our memories work, generally. It's why, up until "modern football", most of the exposure people had to football was in highlights packages. We like highlights. They also matter quite a lot in low-margin sports like footy. Then it came on live TV and most people watched it in the pub, mostly talking shit, because that was part of the fun. Usually you'd remember some of the ridiculous things other people said along with the highlights. The experience wasn't designed around "consuming" every second of the game, but experiencing it with other people, enjoying the emotional rollercoaster, and consciously getting overly involved in something quite silly.

Then Internet forums came about and people dissected things to the nth degree. Then stats and endless videos supported that. That actually made it less likely for people to do what you're talking about. It also made it more fashionable to people to consider themselves football gurus, dismissing the other lowly fans who "don't understand the game". People started talking about it academic terms and dismissing any emotional perceptions. Which is particularly egregious given most of people they're dismissing are the archetypal fans, the ones that helped the game to grow, the ones who actually attended the matches, the ones who the sport was built around. They didn't need to talk about their knowledge of the game because they literally saw more of the game, and they realised the whole point wasn't to see things but to experience them.
 
Last edited:

united_99

Takes pleasure in other people's pain
Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
9,565
Dude, I wish Bruno was as good as Grealish. Unfortunately, he's not.
Deserves to be called out again.
You even put Grealish in the same sentence as Cantona, Scholes and KdB. The latter 3 are serial winners whereas the former only with 26 just moved to a „big“ team.
 

Tony247

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
9,486
Dude, I wish Bruno was as good as Grealish. Unfortunately, he's not.
What has Bruno done? Take out penalties and there hasn't been much between them despite Bruno playing in a much better team.
Bruno since joined have been 4 times player of the month. Created a record of max POTM in a calendar year. Grealish has not won it yet. Lingard won it once last season.

In PL for 20/21 season:

- Bruno was #1 in total chances created among all PL players. Grealish had 3rd most.
- #1 in key passes outside the box. Grealish was 28th.
- #1 in key passes from anywhere. Grealish was 17th.
- #1 in big chances created. Grealish was #4.
- Bruno was #2 in total assists. Grealish was 5th.

Bruno is ranked #2 valuable AM in the world behind KDB. Among wingers Grealish is ranked 14th. Among just left wingers he is ranked 9th.

Overall, Bruno is the 10th most valuable player in the world. Grealish is 46th.

PS: I am nowhere saying Grealish is a bad player. I am a big fan of him and thought he would be very good for united. But saying Bruno is not as good as Grealish or asking 'what Bruno has done' is just foolish.
 

criticalanalysis

Full Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2015
Messages
6,034
At this point I have given up on that changing. Ole is who he is. Hopefully Sancho gels with the rest of the guys and the attacking depth will see us win something. However with our complete lack of midifled depth, I don't see it. I am just going to enjoy a few good games and take what comes.
It's the hope that gets you! I'm still hoping..

As for Sancho, ironically, his game relies on exactly the point I was trying to make i.e a defined structure of play. I'm sure he will contribute and continue to improve but he's going to have to settle in and learn quick to something that's not neccessarily his style.

Seconded! It was so good it seemed like he surprised himself! He's a really unconventional #10 in a lot of ways, but he's got magic in his boots just like the best!
Thirded. I forgot about that ridiculous touch.
 

Brightonian

Full Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
14,090
Location
Juanderlust
This. Players who produce moments of magic are also going to have a couple of ridiculous looking attempts each game, but if people remember the creative void that we had before he arrived i find it absurd they are now complaining about a low pass %
Exactly. Taking the risks and losing the ball are what stops you slipping into a Van Goal-ball stupor, especially in games like yesterday when the opponent is happy to sit in their box for long spells. It's the very heart of why he's improved us so dramatically.
 

Brightonian

Full Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2012
Messages
14,090
Location
Juanderlust
People being exceptionally harsh on him to be honest.

My main concern is actually how the arrival of CR7 is going to affect him. Bruno was "the man" before CR7's arrival. Let's hope his form doesn't slump just because of CR7's arrival, but instead it spurs him onto new heights.
It will only affect him positively. Like all highly ambitious players, he wants people around him who are on his level. He gets deeply frustrated when teammates are not up to his standard. He wants trophies, not personal recognition.
 

The United

Full Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
5,770
This is pretty much my take on Bruno, word for word. I’ve had a good look now, it’s been two years, and I have the same conclusion as you. And for the same reasons you cited. Obviously, he’s a United player ya-di-ya, I support them all etc - but as a 10, not for me, ‘not having him’, in the words of Gary Neville. I accept that he scores a lot of goals, but he isn’t my type of midfield player personally, and I also think that the team will not be quite good enough to win anything without a proper ‘midfielding’ 10. In fact, I think we could be a better side if we could get VDB up to speed and he played instead.

I see Bruno as a match winner. VDB is the type of player who improves a team’s play. I don’t think Bruno makes us ‘play better’, which I personally don’t think is an acceptable statement to apply to a #10 because to me, that has always been their job, but he does make us win games. There is no 10 who will come in and replicate his numbers, but the role isn’t as simple as that. There are other things on a football pitch that a player can give besides that. With a goalscoring front 3, if I were given the choice, I’d swap Bruno for a different player.

This may all be down to player preference or whatever, but it is what it is, nobody and no amount of numbers or heatmaps or whatever will change my mind on this. People have a problem with a goalscoring centre forward in Lukaku because, ‘despite scoring lots of goals’ (and he’s an actual fecking striker) they don’t approve of the way he plays the game, so nobody should tell me anything about my view on this matter. I know the great 10s I grew up appreciating, Bruno isn’t near them for me, he’s closer to Wayne Rooney than a classic 10, and out of sheer preference, and frankly what I think can benefit the team, I’d take Bernardo Silva even if we are just talking #10s from Portugal.

There is no ‘dislike’ or anything of that sort, aside from the natural irritation I feel at times when I feel he is rated higher than I personally rate him, but I’m unable to really argue because he scores goals. He’s a goal threat, but I’ve never been enchanted by him as a player and likely never will. I struggle to see him as one of the world’s best players just because I don’t think he has rare talent level. He avoids congested areas on the pitch for me, because I don’t think he has the skill-set to operate in them, and for me, that is where he should be spending most of his time.

As for the Grealish debate that has gone on over a couple pages, I again cannot feel that the argument is being dismissed simply by a quick glance at Opta. Whoever you think is better overall - anyone who watches them play can certainly see that there are obviously a lot of things that Grealish can do better than Bruno Fernandes can, and a couple of obvious things that he cannot. It is then a case of which qualities you find most important for them. For me, Grealish links better with his teammates. Not just his centre forward, but all of them. He can also take the ball under pressure and keep it. He can open up space in an instant by going past one or two players too. Bruno Fernandes scores more goals, andI don’t know what the numbers say, but I think statistically creates more chances, although I don’t think there’s much in that.

I’ve concluded that my views are more than anything, a matter of stylistic preference, and respect the opposing opinion, which in this case is an extremely popular one. A 10 is like halfway between a CM and a CF by definition. In our historic 442 sides, he could replace Rooney but could never replace Scholes. He doesn’t have enough midfield grace to his game for me, but his forward instincts are actually as good as many strikers of the 442 era like Rooney or Cantona, and better than some others even like Bergkamp I’d say. But Bergkamp could probably be Scholes or Modric in another life. Bruno is different. Which is fine. But I can’t see that I’d ever see him in the same light as the consensus.
Such a long post for he is a good player but not my type.

Then, proceeded to keep spouting stuff how Bruno might be good but not that good, maybe good in some areas, but not exactly sure, not being able to stand that others rating him higher than me, so I overrated others, but the stats might not prove it.

But, who cares, that's my nonsense stuff that I need to keep reading to remind myself he is good but not my type. So, I would overrate others that I like to justify it.
 

Rozay

Master of Hindsight
Joined
Oct 22, 2012
Messages
27,025
Location
...
Such a long post for he is a good player but not my type.

Then, proceeded to keep spouting stuff how Bruno might be good but not that good, maybe good in some areas, but not exactly sure, not being able to stand that others rating him higher than me, so I overrated others, but the stats might not prove it.

But, who cares, that's my nonsense stuff that I need to keep reading to remind myself he is good but not my type. So, I would overrate others that I like to
Can’t say I have a clue what you’re on about tbh.
 

Red00012

Full Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2018
Messages
12,087
I’ve currently have one person on ignore after reading this thread I may have to add to it.
 

shamans

Thinks you can get an STD from flirting.
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
18,226
Location
Constantly at the STD clinic.
I was always one of those annoyed at Bruno's general play sometimes outside of the team but my main concern was the Bruno has to be the main man in a team else it doesn't work.

All those fears of mine have been washed away and it's clear I was wrong. Bruno is an incredible player who has a brain. He knows how to play with Ronaldo in the team which is really exciting.

If anything I think him and Ronaldo complement himself a lot. Ronaldos constant runs gives Bruno so much room to operate its a joy to watch.

I'm hoping this develops into a Rooney Ronaldo type partnership. What's a good name for the duo then ?
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
I don't know how anyone can come up with "de beek will make us play better" when he is one of the passive players we had and a player who is more off the ball runner than a proper 10 like Ozil, Silva. He is better as a 10 when he can flick the ball in the final third, not someone who demands the ball and try to create something or make a pass to start attacking move.
 

mk7

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Jan 29, 2018
Messages
128
I was always one of those annoyed at Bruno's general play sometimes outside of the team but my main concern was the Bruno has to be the main man in a team else it doesn't work.

All those fears of mine have been washed away and it's clear I was wrong. Bruno is an incredible player who has a brain. He knows how to play with Ronaldo in the team which is really exciting.

If anything I think him and Ronaldo complement himself a lot. Ronaldos constant runs gives Bruno so much room to operate its a joy to watch.

I'm hoping this develops into a Rooney Ronaldo type partnership. What's a good name for the duo then ?
Brunaldo?
 

Andersons Dietician

Full Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2016
Messages
13,192
I don't know how anyone can come up with "de beek will make us play better" when he is one of the passive players we had and a player who is more off the ball runner than a proper 10 like Ozil, Silva. He is better as a 10 when he can flick the ball in the final third, not someone who demands the ball and try to create something or make a pass to start attacking move.
I think this argument stems from possesion and control in midfield. No one can deny Bruno gets results but I suppose for many there is just a nagging thought that if we had more control in midfield, better movement, quicker passing the team as a whole might be better. No one can prove either but I can’t deny watching Bruno and some of the things he does gets me fuming. Then when it’s almost at boiling point smashes in a 30 yarder and I can’t help but think Bruno you wee beauty :lol:

I personally think there are many things Bruno could do better as for me his eagerness to always get forward sometimes limits our ball progression. If he could somehow find a better balance between making that run inbehind and giving the deeper two an option. It might not be this but when Martial was decent give it by sheer coincidence or plan his tendency to sit in that space where Bruno would normally be gave us a little more control so I would like either Bruno or someone to take up that position to help us maintain control and possesion more which I feel would lead to us creating better and many more dangerous chances whilst remaining more defensivly sound.

Still early in the season and there are a lot of new faces so we’ll see how it all comes together.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
I think this argument stems from possesion and control in midfield. No one can deny Bruno gets results but I suppose for many there is just a nagging thought that if we had more control in midfield, better movement, quicker passing the team as a whole might be better. No one can prove either but I can’t deny watching Bruno and some of the things he does gets me fuming. Then when it’s almost at boiling point smashes in a 30 yarder and I can’t help but think Bruno you wee beauty :lol:

I personally think there are many things Bruno could do better as for me his eagerness to always get forward sometimes limits our ball progression. If he could somehow find a better balance between making that run inbehind and giving the deeper two an option. It might not be this but when Martial was decent give it by sheer coincidence or plan his tendency to sit in that space where Bruno would normally be gave us a little more control so I would like either Bruno or someone to take up that position to help us maintain control and possesion more which I feel would lead to us creating better and many more dangerous chances whilst remaining more defensivly sound.

Still early in the season and there are a lot of new faces so we’ll see how it all comes together.
I agree with the points you made in general but I disagree with control in midfield. You can control the game from midfield or any position if whole team is in sync and the play style relates to that. We are not a team that will control the game with possession or a team where player in possession will always find a free player in better position to receive passes. We are more direct team.

I remember having the same conversation with someone else, Bayern play with Muller. Still they don't have problem with ball progression, controlling the game as they are coached in that way. They push up players, commit FBs to provide width, players will always have option to pass and along with that, they always have good number of attackers in the box. This is how it should be. Also Bruno and our other attackers makes the run when Pogba gets the ball and space, it's a well worked move which has resulted in lot of good attacking position.

Also my point was, De beek doesn't give control to the game. If we have someone like David Silva, I would have agreed as he is very good 10 with superb technique and vision. de Beek is more off the ball player than the player who shines with on the ball. So playing him instead of Bruno won't change anything except we would be worse in the attack.

Unless we sign Pep or similar coach who shares his philosophy (of controlling the game, attacking and defending as a team), nothing much will change even if we replace few players with different profile of players.
 

Ddannidom

New Member
Newbie
Joined
Nov 15, 2020
Messages
25
Absolutely love him. Though, sometimes I'd have loved to hound him off the pitch myself that last match. But boy this guy keeps trying...

..I really wish he tones down a little and try to keep things bit simpler. I think he actually did that in the second period, kept it ticking till it was time for glory and he took it.

This guy is a threat surely.

Wondering how opposition teams will feel, facing Bruno, Ronaldo, and Pogba for ninety minutes. Ole has built a monster action packed team. I can sense terror of this team accros the land.

Goosebumps for the days ahead.
 

Jama18418

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 25, 2018
Messages
19
Bruno is the most underrated footballer in the league! He scores a hattrick everyone's talk about Pogba's assists. He scores a worldie and people barely mention it. There isn't a midfielder in the world I'd swap with Bruno! His numbers have been insane and talk for themselves, KDB and Grealish wont be even close to his numbers at the end of season!!
 

The United

Full Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
5,770
I agree with the points you made in general but I disagree with control in midfield. You can control the game from midfield or any position if whole team is in sync and the play style relates to that. We are not a team that will control the game with possession or a team where player in possession will always find a free player in better position to receive passes. We are more direct team.

I remember having the same conversation with someone else, Bayern play with Muller. Still they don't have problem with ball progression, controlling the game as they are coached in that way. They push up players, commit FBs to provide width, players will always have option to pass and along with that, they always have good number of attackers in the box. This is how it should be. Also Bruno and our other attackers makes the run when Pogba gets the ball and space, it's a well worked move which has resulted in lot of good attacking position.

Also my point was, De beek doesn't give control to the game. If we have someone like David Silva, I would have agreed as he is very good 10 with superb technique and vision. de Beek is more off the ball player than the player who shines with on the ball. So playing him instead of Bruno won't change anything except we would be worse in the attack.

Unless we sign Pep or similar coach who shares his philosophy (of controlling the game, attacking and defending as a team), nothing much will change even if we replace few players with different profile of players.
Thing is that we now have Ronaldo, I think we have to get used to the idea that Bruno will be playing up front more than last season if not already. Because, Ronaldo will drop and stay wide a lot, to cover that he will run past him a lot.

We will just have to wait and see if it will be effective. I don't care too much about so called midfield control because you have 2 class midfielders behind them and if we need one more to control against 80% EPL team, it would not be Bruno or whoever plays in that position's fault.
 

roonster09

Hercule Poirot of the scouting world
Scout
Joined
May 10, 2009
Messages
36,515
Thing is that we now have Ronaldo, I think we have to get used to the idea that Bruno will be playing up front more than last season if not already. Because, Ronaldo will drop and stay wide a lot, to cover that he will run past him a lot.

We will just have to wait and see if it will be effective. I don't care too much about so called midfield control because you have 2 class midfielders behind them and if we need one more to control against 80% EPL team, it would not be Bruno or whoever plays in that position's fault.
Also we don't play fixed positions, I mean not many teams play that. Greenwood is a winger/wide forward and you see him taking CF position a lot in games, Bruno is attacking mid (apparently CF/SS too) and he pops up everywhere, Lingard came on for Sancho and for the goal he was in CF position next to Martial.

All that matters is, player in possession should have an option to pass, players off the ball should work hard and make runs.
 

The United

Full Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
5,770
Also we don't play fixed positions, I mean not many teams play that. Greenwood is a winger/wide forward and you see him taking CF position a lot in games, Bruno is attacking mid (apparently CF/SS too) and he pops up everywhere, Lingard came on for Sancho and for the goal he was in CF position next to Martial.

All that matters is, player in possession should have an option to pass, players off the ball should work hard and make runs.
Yup. As I said in another thread. I hardly ever saw a team even City controlled the midfield as much as the CAF want us to in EPL lately. Do they actually expect the opponent players to not pass the ball or run past the half way line at any time or something. Pep's city used to be so good at that (mostly with tactical fouling) but teams actually had a go at them for the past few seasons that on CAF, you see people talking about how vulnerable they are against counter attacks. Well? Does it not sound too familiar?

Bottom line is that if we commit with about 6/7 players attacking, with the gap left behind, a team will always be vulnerable to a counter. It does not always means we lose "control of midfield". It just sounds too much of FM stuff.
 

RooneyLegend

New Member
Joined
May 3, 2013
Messages
12,963
For whatever reason when in motion his passing and shooting technique falls apart, especially the former. However when standing still it's nigh on perfect. This of course hurts us in transition more than anything else.
 

Tony247

Full Member
Joined
May 2, 2018
Messages
9,486
For whatever reason when in motion his passing and shooting technique falls apart, especially the former. However when standing still it's nigh on perfect. This of course hurts us in transition more than anything else.
Damn. He must be missing lot of penalties then!
 

Mike Phelan's Former Tash

New Member
Newbie
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
377
I don't understand how he can have doubters from his own fan base, he's one of the best attacking midfielders in the world.

Being a United player is about being brave and taking risks and he's perfect for us in mentality, talent and is a joy to watch.

I wonder how people get pleasure from watching United/football at times after reading a few posts in this place.

Sheesh.
 

#07

makes new threads with tweets in the OP
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
23,258
Gorgeous assist that should have led to more.
 

The United

Full Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2015
Messages
5,770
I don't think Bruno has been better than Pogba this season.

But, taking him off instead of Pogba in that situation was pretty weird when we needed some wild risky pass from the back once in awhile.

Not to mentioned he will be everywhere to close out spaces.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.